in the preview it shows ben talking to locke seemingly right before he hangs himself

I'm betting Ben leaves the room without knowing if John hangs himself or not for sure... he only knows he MAY have hung himself. Just like Ben's literal truth when Jack asks him if Locke came to see him... no, he went to see Locke. AH, BEN! Not so much selective, but exact and twisted all at the same time.

I think Ben stuck around for the hanging. Then he took Jin's wedding ring and wrote the suicide note. It was just too much of a coincidence that Ben tells Jack, "It's not your fault that he's dead" SECONDS before Jack reads a note that says, basically, it's your fault I'm dead because you didn't believe me. How did Hawking get the note? Ben planted it. I'd wager.

I think Ben stuck around for the hanging. Then he took Jin's wedding ring and wrote the suicide note. It was just too much of a coincidence that Ben tells Jack, "It's not your fault that he's dead" SECONDS before Jack reads a note that says, basically, it's your fault I'm dead because you didn't believe me. How did Hawking get the note? Ben planted it. I'd wager.

I think Ben stuck around for the hanging. Then he took Jin's wedding ring and wrote the suicide note. It was just too much of a coincidence that Ben tells Jack, "It's not your fault that he's dead" SECONDS before Jack reads a note that says, basically, it's your fault I'm dead because you didn't believe me. How did Hawking get the note? Ben planted it. I'd wager.

I so agree with you. He doesn't technically lie. which he could. but doesn't. he also doesn't need to tell them if they don't need to know. I think locke pulled a Ben. Wanting to keep his word to Jin , Locke told Ben to tell sun he was alive and that killed two birds with one stone. Technically then he didn't bring her back and he didn't tell her Jin was alive. And it got her back to the island.

tell me about it! Now I bet we all wish Ben would have just killed locke, like he wanted to , ( back on the island, now that its not Locke but the man in black.) guess the island really did want locke dead,( on the island, not off) so this couldn't happen. ah but then why did it keep healing him you say? well, there are to sides on the island, we know that now. so the man in blacks side kept him alive? the man in white's side kept telling Ben to kill locke. maybe.?.